


What's in a Name

by Orangepencils



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, mentions of jacks OD briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 13:32:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12389085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orangepencils/pseuds/Orangepencils
Summary: A 5+2 thing of different names and nicknames Bob Zimmermann has had over the years.





	What's in a Name

** What’s in a Name **

****

Bad Bob

Alicia had never been into sports. Her father had followed every team in their city religiously, but it had never been Alicia’s thing. She had always had a penchant for arts and languages and she had pursued those instead.

 

Therefore, when her friend had a spare ticked to the hockey game, she didn’t jump on the chance. But life had a funny way of working and since no one else could go and she had absolutely nothing better to do, she accompanied her friend.

 

That was how she found herself sitting three rows behind the players’ bench in an arena of very excited sports fans.

 

“Oh my God, there he is!” Her friend squealed, pointing in the general direction of one of the players.

 

“There who is?” Alicia thought it was a very good idea the players had their names printed on the back of their jerseys. It would make things easier for her.

 

“Bad Bob Zimmermann! He’s so good! And so hot! And – amazing.”

 

“Bad Bob? What kind of name is that? Did he name himself?”

 

Alicia would never understand sports. Who wanted to be called “Bad Bob” anyway?

 

“Don’t be silly. It’s his nickname. He’s such a menace of the ice. You really don’t want to mess with him. Just wait and see!” Her friend gushed.

 

Alicia wasn’t convinced, but she kept her opinion to herself. This wasn’t her area of expertise and she would take her friend’s word for it.

 

Mr. Zimmermann

As it turned out, hockey wasn’t _that_ bad. In fact, it could be enjoyable. Alicia had been invited to a few more games and she had willingly gone to see them. It didn’t help that “Bad Bob” actually turned out to be cute.

 

When he wasn’t getting into any fights.

 

Or beating some guy up.

 

But. Whatever.

 

As luck would have it, Alicia was asked to work at a charity event, where many different celebrities were paired together to collect donations for new equipment for the children’s hospital. Alicia never minded working this particular event and she had been paired with many interesting people, over the years.

 

She wondered who her partner would be for this year’s edition and when the coordinator walked her to her table, she nearly stopped dead in her tracks.

 

The odds of this ever happening in her life were zero to infinity.

 

“Looks like you’re paired up with Mr. Zimmermann. Not bad.” Her coordinator said. Alicia nodded and put on her best smile.

 

She would have a lot to tell her friend.

 

Robert

Bob really liked Alicia. She was a breath of fresh air in his life and by far the most vivacious of people he had ever met or dated. She was intelligent, funny, and she could chirp him as if she was one of the guys’ on the team. He still couldn’t believe that such a wonderful woman could like him back, but he thanked his lucky stars every chance he got.

 

One thing he really liked about Alicia was the way his name sounded when it rolled off her tongue. She still didn’t call him “Bob” and preferred calling him “Robert”, but it was so different when she said it.

 

Robert, in French, had always sounded old and austere. The “t” was silent and the name reminded him of his great-uncle Robert who had been a severe man and a harsh judge. Bob had never wanted to be like him and he had hated his name for its lack of warmth.

 

But when Alicia said it, it was full of love and support. _Robert_ was now a welcome home embrace after a tough loss and a worried frown when he got five new stitches. _Robert_ was a gentle caress and a gentle touch that said “I love you, I’m glad you’re back.”

 

Alicia could call him Robert until the end of his life, he wouldn’t mind, because Robert was the man she liked, and he wanted to be that man for a very long time.

 

Bobby

Bob didn’t know what to do. He felt too big for his body and half the time, he was convinced he was living his worst nightmare. He kept telling himself that this was some bad joke, but his reality wasn’t changing no matter how many times he pinched himself or tried to snap himself awake.

 

He had no idea what day it was or what it was he should have been doing. The only thing that kept on playing over in his head was the trip to the hospital.

 

No parent should ever have to see their child cling to life. No parent should ever have to see their child brought back to life. No one should ever have to wonder if they had lost their most cherished person through their own fault.

 

It had already been three days since Jack had been hospitalised. Three days too many and he wasn’t sure if life would ever go back to the way it had been before.

 

His entire world had been flipped over and he was now trying to find the broken pieces to glue them back together.

 

Nothing made sense anymore. There was too much to take care of, so much to think about and when another day started, he couldn’t find an ounce of strength to do anything.

 

The worst in all of this was that he wasn’t alone. He knew he wasn’t, even though sometimes it felt like it, but Alicia was going through the very same thing.

 

But even though they were a team – even though they had exchanged vows saying that they would be there for one another through the good and bad times, he didn’t even know how to approach Alicia.

 

Bob felt as though he had failed her – and Jack. He was supposed to look out for them and make sure their little family thrived. Instead, he had pushed his son too far and now he had an inconsolable wife whom he couldn’t even talk to, because of his own guilt.

 

He had always been self-assured and confident. He had always known how to joke with the media and charm a crowd. Now he couldn’t even string two words together to reach out to his wife.

 

But he had to try.

 

Alicia had taken the habit of sitting on the patio steps that lead to their backyard when she felt overwhelmed. The dark skies with the vast expanse of stars above her and the sound of crickets helped ground her. Bob would always leave her alone for a few moments, before he would bring out a quilt and sit with her. Sometimes they talked, other times his very presence was enough.

 

Bob decided he could start with that.

 

He grabbed the quilt from the armchair and went to find Alicia, who was exactly where she had been the previous night.

 

He hesitated for a moment and watched her.

 

She was folded on herself, her knees drawn in close, her hands tucked under her thighs. She looked exhausted from the way her shoulders sagged and the lines he had seen on her face.

 

Alicia had always been the wind in his sail. If she didn’t bounce back from this, he knew he wouldn’t be able to either.

 

Bob finally gathered his courage and walked up to her. He stood beside her for a moment, before dropping to her side. He placed the quilt over her shoulders and only then did she acknowledge him by pulling the fabric closer to her body.

 

He didn’t know if she wanted to be comforted or left alone.

 

Bob desperately wanted to pull her close and burry his face in her hair, but instead he waited and they sat together in silence, both pensive.

 

“We could have lost him, Bobby.” Alicia finally cracked. Her voice broke towards the end and Bob heard the shuddering breath she took. “Our boy. Our precious boy. And we nearly lost him. I don’t know -” She topped and took another shaky breath. “I don’t know what I would have done if he – if Jack – if they couldn’t bring him back.” Alicia hastily wiped the tears from her eyes, but it was no use. She tried to stifle her sobs and Bob’s heart broke even more.

 

He draped his arm around her shoulders and held her tightly. He felt her tremble and shake in his arms as they both wept.

 

Bob

Coming home to Alicia was the best thing about roadies. Sometimes, she would greet him at the door, if it wasn’t too late, but more often than not, he would find her passed out on the couch, or in their bed.

 

He still couldn’t believe that this was his life and that he was the lucky one who got to wake up next to Alicia. Him! Bad Bob Zimmermann! Just thinking about it made him grin.

 

When he stepped into the foyer of their home, he found the lights on. He quietly left his bag and coat by the door, before he toed off his shoes and went to find Alicia.

 

Alicia seemed to be napping in the living room, curled around the fancy pillows she had chosen for their couch. When he went to check, her eyes fluttered open and she greeted him with a sleepy smile.

 

“Bob, you’re home.”

 

“I hope I didn’t wake you.” He sat next to her and she shifted to lean on him. Bob wrapped an arm around her shoulders and placed a soft kiss to her cheek.

 

“No, I was waiting for you. How was the flight?”

 

They fell into their regular post-roadie conversation and Bob felt content with his wife by his side. He figured nothing could ever make him happier or make his feel more satisfied, but then Alicia took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen.

 

“Bob,” She started and when he looked into those beautiful blue eyes he adored, his breath caught in his throat. “Bob, I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.” She laughed as happy tears spilled from her eyes and his own vision blurred. “You’re going to be a father.” He gathered her in his arms and laughed with her.

 

Grand-Papa

Bob absolutely loved it when Jack and Bitty came to visit. He loved having his family with him and having his son at home for a few days was a pleasant treat. On top of that, he enjoyed Bitty’s company and the younger man had been a great addition to the family.

 

When Jack and Bitty had told him and Alicia that they were going to adopt a child, a few years ago, Bob had broken down in tears and had hugged them both tightly for a long time. To be a grandfather was an honour.

 

Daniela had just turned five when Jack and Bitty got her and the moment Bob had met her, he fell in love. She was extremely shy and wary of strangers, but Bob knew that with Jack and Bitty, she would eventually come out of her shell.

 

Bob clearly remembered the day Jack had called him, his voice heavy with emotion, to let him know that Daniela had called him “Papa” for the first time. Bob had been misty eyed himself and he had reminded Jack of how proud he was of him. He could only hope that Daniela would continue to flourish.

 

When the doorbell rang, Alicia let in the rest of their little family and she greeted everyone with warm hugs. Bob got out of his armchair and made his way to the door in time to see Alicia help Daniela out of her winter coat.

 

When his granddaughter saw him, she smiled timidly and Bob knelt to her level so that she could come and hug him. Daniela scurried over and threw her tiny arms around his neck. Bob easily picked her up and she giggled when he noisily kissed her cheek.

 

“Allô, ma belle.”/ _“Hello, beautiful.”_ He murmured softly in her ear as he always did.

 

Daniela looked at him and smiled, before giving him another hug. “Allô, grand-papa.”/ _“Hi, grandpa.”_ She whispered back only for him to hear.

 

Bob held her at arms length, surprised. He gave Daniela a tentative smile that she returned and Bob held her tightly to his chest, feeling warmth spread out through his body.

 

Winning the Stanley Cup had been nice, but his granddaughter calling him “Grandpa” for the first time was an entire different feeling.

 

Papa

Bob barely had time to shut the door behind him that he felt something – or rather a small someone – thud against his leg. He looked down to find a chubby, rosy-cheeked smiling face clutching his leg.

 

Bob carefully lifted his leg, making his son squeal. When he finally had Jack in his arms, he bounced him lightly and made his way towards the living room.

 

“Allô, mon bonhomme.”/ _“Hey, little man.”_ Bob kissed the top of Jack’s head and Jack made grabby hands towards him. Bob held him close to his chest as Jack settled there and looked up in time as he glanced down. He couldn’t help but smile and kiss both of Jack’s little cheeks. Jack loved it and giggled loudly. Bob could only find love in his son’s blue eyes and he hoped it would always be that way.

 

“Pa-Pa.” Jack gurgled.

 

Bob stopped, unsure he had heard right.

 

“Pa-Pa.” Jack repeated, this time a little more sure of himself.

 

Bob beamed at him.  “That’s right, son! I’m Papa!”

 

“Papa.” Jack said again.

 

“Alicia! Alicia come quick! Get the camcorder! Jack just said his first word!”

 

**FIN**

**Started writing: January 10 th 2017, 11:39am**

**Finished writing: January 10 th 2017, 3:24pm**

**Started typing: April 3 rd 2017, 12:23pm**

**Finished typing: April 3 rd 2017, 4:11pm **


End file.
